Shade Tree spot applicator for grease

Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:25 pm

Shade Tree Spot Applicator For GreaseFor those difficult to reach places without a Zerk fitting, this may be what you are looking for.
Of course you have a grease gun, it is a requirement to hit all 12 dozen Zerks on a Cub. And I suspect that the business end of your grease gun has a fitting or coupler that mates to a Zerk fitting. But what do you do if you need to put a dab of grease in the steering rod support bracket? Or apply grease in some other application where there is no Zerk fitting? Do you grab a toothpick and end up spreading grease every where except the intended location?

Avoid the hassle and make a Zerk adapter. When you were working on the tractor, doubtless you found at least one Zerk fitting that was NG. The ball valve in the tip of the Zerk is held in place with a spiral wound spring. The spring, in turn, is held in place when the base of the Zerk is peened. It is rolled over to the inside to capture the spring. A bad Zerk with the spring either missing or loose is a perfect candidate for a Zerk adapter.

Clean out the Zerk fitting you are going to use. If you don't have a bad Zerk, use a countersink or 1/4" drill bit to remove the peened base of the Zerk. Remove the ball with a paper clip, hair pin, or whatever. Clean out the Zerk fitting again. Throughly degrease the Zerk.

Now you are ready to start. Go the hobby shop and get a piece of brass tubing that fits inside the Zerk. The tubing is telescopic so you might consider getting several sizes.

Back at the shop cut off a short piece of brass tubing, 2" to 3" or whatever your needs require. Clean the Zerk out again using alcohol or acetone to be sure all the grease is gone. Prep one end of the brass tube for soldering. Slide the brass tube into the Zerk and sweat the 2 pieces together.

Soft solder will be plenty strong enough since there is very little force acting on the soldered joint. Clean up the joint and remove any flux. Plug your new adapter into the end of the grease gun and pump. When the grease comes out clean, you are ready to go. When you need to grease a Zerk fitting on the Cub, pop the adapter out and store it in a plastic bag.

Having these adapters significantly expands the range of things you can lubricate.

Here are the parts for the grease nozzle/Zerk adapter. Notice the ball and spring to the left. These are the pieces to remove from the Zerk. Also note that the brass tube is preped for soldering.

Here is the assembled adapter. The shiny bit where the brass tube joins the Zerk is the soft solder sweated joint. I did not need to solder this particular adapter since the brass tube was a press fit into the Zerk, but I did it anyway.

And here is the adapter plugged into the end of the grease gun showing a little grease at the end.